Blazers Take Sunday Matinee Over Cougars 5-2

By 250 News

The Cougars had their two game win streak end on home ice Sunday afternoon, giving up five unanswered goals to the Kamloops Blazers in a 5-2 loss.

The Cougars and Blazers were meeting for the sixth time in less than a month and Kamloops was the opposition for the fourth straight time at CN Centre.  Alex Wright, who got his third win on Saturday in the Cougars 6-4 decision to open the double header, got the call again on Sunday.  With Hudson Stremmel not available to dress with concussion like symptoms, the Cougars called up Marcus Beesley from the Major Midget Cariboo Cougars to back-up Wright.  For the second straight game the Cougars opened the scoring early in the first period.  Alex Rodgers pounced on a loose puck for his 11th goal of the season just 20 seconds into the hockey game.  The man Rodgers tied for the team lead in goals set up the play.  James Dobrowolski picked the pocket of Blazers defenceman Linden Saip and went in with a backhand on Kurtis Mucha, who stopped the first attempt, but was well out of position when Rodgers buried the rebound.  The Cougars went to a power play shortly after and made it count, when Dallas Jackson ripped home his 10th goal of the season, blasting a slap shot over the glove hand of Mucha for a 2-0 lead at 2:43.  Dobrowolski drew a helper along with Nick Buonassisi.  The Cougars and Blazers were even in shots, with 13 apiece.  Wright came up big on numerous occasions to keep Kamloops off the board.

But the Blazers wouldn't stay off the board long.  Zak Stebner, who was moved from forward to defence, cashed in with two goals in the middle frame.  His first off a scramble in front of the Cougars net at 4:54.  Stebner added another tally at 12:37 on the power play off a nice feed from Brendan Ranford from behind the goal.  The teams were tied 2-2 after two, with the Cougars out-shooting the Blazers 12-10 in the second period.

But the wheels came off for the Cougars, who were looking for a third straight win.  CJ Stretch, the long-time Blazers forward, scored twice, at 2:30 and 12:28 to put the visitors ahead 4-2.  Blazer Captain Tyler Shattock would ice the game with an empty net goal for a 5-2 Kamloops victory and a split of the weekend double header.  The Blazers went 1-for-2 on the power play, while the Cougars went 1-for-5.  The Blazers had a huge advantage in shots in the third period, out-shooting the Cougars 17-5 and 40-30 in the game.  With the loss the Cougars fall to 9-29-1-1 while the Blazers improve to 17-19-2-3.

The line of Rodgers, Dobrowolski and Buonassisi continue to produce points for the Cougars.  The trio have combined for 17 points in the last three games and the Cougars will look for more production from the three when they begin a three game road trip in Chilliwack Wednesday night.  The Cougars will head south of the border for the weekend, playing in Tri-City Friday and Seattle Saturday.  The Cougars then begin a seven game home stand with a date against the Red Deer Rebels, starting at 7:00.  Tickets are available by calling Ticketmaster at 250-564-5585.

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